Exothermic side board suspension



July 19, 1966 F. TISDALE, JR

EXOTHERMIC SIDE BOARD SUSPENSION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan 18, 1962 INVENTOR. NORMAN TISDALE, Jr.

BY 7%fiw,

is ATTORNEY y 9. 1966 N. F. TISDALE, JR 3,261,058

EXOTHERMIC SIDE BOARD SUSPENSION iled Jan 18, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. NORMAN F. TISDALE Jr.

his ATTORNEY July 19, 1966 N. F. TISDALE, JR

EXOTHERMIC SIDE BOARD SUSPENSION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan 18, 1962 Fig. I4.

INVENTOR. NORMAN F. TISDALE, Jr.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,261,058 EXOTHERMIC SIDE BOARD SUSPENSION Norman F. Tisdale, Jr., Valencia, Pa., assignor to Treesdale Laboratories, Inc, Mars, Pa. Filed Jan. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 167,045 2 (Claims. (Cl. 22--57) This invention relates to the casting of metal, especially steel, in ingot form, and, more particularly, relates to means for suspending side boards of exothermic material along opposed inner surfaces of the feed for pouring area adjacent the top interior portion of the ingot mold.

Because of shrinkage and the resulting funnel-shaped void or piping formed during solidification of cast ingots, it is often necessary to crop or cut that portion of the ingot containing the pipe, thus resulting in low metal yield. In the past, hot tops have been utilized in an attempt to decrease the amount of material that must be cropped, so as to produce an increase in yield. Also side boards of molded refractory material, such as sand, have been employed by suspending them along opposing sides of the feed area into which the metal is poured by long bars supported on top of the mold, which side boards contain a layer of exothermic material, so that when contacted by rising molten metal from the ingot, the exothermic material ignites and applies extra heat to the top layer of metal so that it will prevent or minimize the formation of pipes upon solidification.

An outstanding disadvantage of such side boards is that they require lengthy, heavy, and expensive supporting structures, such as long metal bars supported on the tops of the molds and spanning more than the entire length thereof, which must be extended through eyes connected to the side boards, which bars are awkward to handle, as well as being costly and generally requiring carrying thereof in inventory by steel mills.

An object of the present invention is to provide novel supporting means for said exothermic side boards which are devoid of the above named disadvantages and which require only small and inexpensive supports or hangers, involving only a small fraction of the cost of conventional supporting constructions.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a side board with hangers or supports, resting on top of the mold, or yieldingly engaging the side boards, thereby eliminating the necessity of long supporting rods spanning more than the entire length of the mold or of mechanical connections with the mold.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting structure for a four-sided exothermic sideboard construction involving a unique interlocking arrangement for providing mutual support and effective sealing of the four sideboards, as well as minimum maintenance expense, also which enables the use of the same shape of sideboard instead of different shapes in molds which are substantially square.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mold, having a top portion cut away for purposes of better illustration, and having exothermic side boards suspended therein by supporting means embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side view of one of the exothermic side boards shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III- III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-- IV of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exothermic side board showing a modification of the Z hanger and showing additional reinforcement;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modification embodying inverted U-shaped wire hangers;

FIG. 7 is a further modification showing the side boards supported by U-shaped clips;

FIG. 8 is a still further modification relating to side boards frictionally held against the inner walls of the mold by means of turnbuckles and having inserts for receiving the ends of turnbuckle operated rods;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a mold having side boards as shown in FIG. 8 held frictionally against the mold inner walls by turnbuckles;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a side board having grooves for receiving ends of yieldable rods;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a mold having Sideboards as shown in FIG. 10 frictionally held against the mold inner walls by springs;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a four-sided side board projecting partly above the top of the mold;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a four-sided side board having central tongue and groove connections;

FIG. 14 is a modified form of four-sided side board construction including a different joint constructions; and

FIG. 15 is a still further modified form of four-sided side board construction including identical T-shaped sections, alternating boards being inverted.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, numeral 1 generally denotes an ingot mold of big-end-down construction, although it should be noted that the present invention is also suitable for big-end-up molds. Adjacent the inner walls 3 at the top portion of the mold, that is, the pouring area, there are suspended a pair of opposing side board assemblies 4 comprising side boards 7 of refractory sand or similar molded material. The side boards are in slab form, having outer coatings 6 of exothermic material so that during teeming of the metal and rise of the level of the molten metal sufliciently to reach the side boards, the exothermic material will be ignited so as to supply additional heat to keep the metal molten adjacent the top surface and minimize or prevent the formation of funnel shaped cavities or pipes there- 1n.

An important feature of the invention resides in the specific, relatively simple and inexpensive supporting means for suspending the side boards. Such supporting mean-s is in the form of somewhat Z shaped hangers 5, each having one end portion 5a embedded in the refractory sand material of the side board 7 and the other end leg portion supported on the top portion 2 of the mold.

Instead of providing two separate Z shaped hangers 5, one continuous U-shaped hanger may be used, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein the bight 10a of the U extends horizontally and acts as a reinforcing rod. An additional reinforcing rod 11 may also be embedded in the side board of assembly 9, if desired.

FIG. 6 shows a modification comprising wire hangers 14 of inverted U-shape, whose legs may be embedded in the refractory sand of the side board of assembly 13 in any selective amounts so as to adjust the depth the side board extends in the mold. A supporting rod or pipe 15 is extended through the loops of the wire hangers and is adapted to rest on top of the end portions of the surface of the mold, similar to hangers 5 in FIG. 1.

Horizontally extending reinforcing rods 16 are embedded in the side board, if desired, or any one or more of these, together with a central vertically extending reinforcing rod, to provide any degree of reinforcement desired.

FIG. 7 shows a further modification embodying substantially U-shaped spring clips 19, one leg of which extends outside the mold 1 and the other leg of which yieldingly engages the side board 18 along :a lower, intermediate portion of the exothermic layered surface to hold it securely against the mold wall to prevent the tendency of the side board to float when its lower end is contacted with molten metal. The bottom ends 19a are above the bottom ends of the side boards 18.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a still further modification wherein the side boards 20 have embedded therein inserts 21, of metal or other suitable material, having central well portions 22 for receiving the ends of supporting rods 23, the other ends of which rods are threaded and are selectively pushed together or pulled apart by selective turning of turnbuckle 24 in opposite directions. Thus, as the turnbuckle 24 is tightened, the side boards are frictionally held tightly against the inner walls of mold 1.

FIGS. and 11 show a still further modification embodying exothermic side boards 26 which are frictionally held tightly against the interior walls of mold 1 by means of springs 28 of spring steel having arms 29 which may be sprung toward each other to form a smaller angle therebetween by means of a suitable tool (not shown). This enables the springs 28 to be lowered, by the tool, into a position opposite the lower ends of tapered grooves 27 in the side boards, so that upon release of the tool, arms 29, by spring action, will move to the engaging position shown and springs 28 will yieldingly urge arms 29 thereof into the grooves, to be firmly anchored in the side boards. Before the tool is released, the ends of the springs are lifted until stopped by the top of grooves 27. Grooves 27 may extend the full height of the side boards, if desired. Also inserts, such as 21 in FIG. 8, may be used instead of grooves for receiving the ends of the springs. Other shapes of grooves, such as dished or conical, may be used instead of grooves 27 to anchor and prevent slipping of the ends of springs 28.

FIG. 12 shows a four-sided exothermic side board construction 30, 31 in which metal rods 32 are partially embedded in the side boards and rest on top of mold 1 for support so that a portion of the side board assembly projects above the top of the mold, like a hot top.

FIG. 13 shows another four-sided exothermic side board construction 33 which may, however, be suspended below the top surface of the mold by means of books 5 which are adapted to rest on top of the mold, as shown in FIG. 1. The embedded portion of hooks 5 may be of inverted T-shape in the intermediate plane of the side boards 34, 36. Side boards 36 have central tongues 37 which fit into correspondingly shaped grooves formed in side boards 34. Steel bands 38 hold the side boards together. A seal is formed between tongues 37 and end portions 35. However, should a leak of molten metal develop through such seal, both the central and lower bands 38 will be broken and will require replacement.

FIG. 14 shows an improvement in the four-sided side board construction 40 wherein a different type of joint is provided between adjoining exothermic side boards 41, 44 comprising lower shoulder portions 43 and 45 on which are supported, in sealing relationship, end portions 46 and 42, respectively. Thus if a leak should develop, only the lower steel band 38 will be severed, thus saving the central band. Another advantage is that the side boards are of the same configuration, particularly in the case of a square mold wherein they are exactly alike.

FIG. shows a further modification of an exothermic four-sided side board construction 47 wherein the side boards 48 and 50 are of T-shape, with alternate TS inverted. The legs 49 of side board 48 rest on and are sealed to the legs 51 of side board 50. An advantage of this construction is that all side boards are of T-shape and, in the case of a square mold, they are exactly alike. Steel bands (not shown) may be added, if desired, similar to bands 38 in FIGS. 13 and 14.

Instead of inverted L-shaped extensions of hangers 5, they may be in the form of eyes through which a long supporting bar or pipe may extend and rest on top of the mold, if desired.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided efficient means for suspending exothermic side boards within a mold, which means embody relatively small and inexpensive embedded hangers useful for suspending either two-sided or four-sided side boards directly on top of the mold, and wherein the four-sided side boards are made of the same shape on all four sides of the mold, instead of different shapes, thereby reducing manufacturing costs, as well as providing a highly improved seal wherein leakage, if it occurs, will sever no more than a single encircling wire band.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these are by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an ingot mold having an open top and inner walls of rectangular outline, a pair of rectangular sideboards of refractory molded material including embedded supporting rod means for suspending said sideboards below the top portions of opposing inner walls of greatest length, said supporting rod means including embedded portions extending horizontally, longitudinally of the lower portions of the sideboards and embedded portions extending vertically upwardly transversely of the sideboards and terminal portions of inverted L-shape extending vertically upwardly from the top of the sideboards and horizontally outwardly away from each other and in horizontal alignment and having extremities spaced apart at a greater distance than the length of said inner walls of greatest length and supported on top of the end walls of shorter length, and a coating of exothermic material on the exposed surfaces of said sideboards, said supporting rod means constituting the sole support for said sideboards.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 together with a spring having a central portion and two arms extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions at an obtuse angle, the ends of said arms being engageable with said coatings to yieldingly hold the sideboards tightly against opposed inner walls of said ingot mold.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,454,740 5/1923 Howard et al. 1,501,655 7/1924 Gathmann et al. 1,818,477 8/1931 Haws. 1,892,464 12/ 1934 Haws. 2,390,373 12/1945 Jones et al. 2,433,775 12/ 1947 Marburg. 2,444,838 7/ 1948 Marburg. 2,546,270 3/ 1951 Marburg. 2,782,478 2/ 1957 Marburg. 3,026,585 3/ 1962 Marburg. 3,103,045 9/1963 La Bate. 3,148,421 9/1964 Hill.

FOREIGN PATENTS 838,676 6/1960 Great Britain. 602,356 2/ 1960 Italy.

J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

MARCUS U. LYONS, WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Examiners.

V- RISING, s stant Examine 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN INGOT MODL HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND INNER WALLS OF RECTANGULAR OUTLINE, A PAIR OF RECTANGULAR SIDEBOARDS OF REFRACTORY MOLDED MATERIAL INCLUDING EMBEDDED SUPPORTING ROD MEANS FOR SUSPENDING SAID SIDEBOARDS BELOW THE TOP PORTIONS OF OPPOSING INNER WALLS OF GREATEST LENGTH, SAID SUPPORTING ROD MEANS INCLUDING EMBEDDED PORTIONS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY, LONGITUDINALLY OF THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE SIDEBOARDS AND EMBEDDED PORTIONS EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARDLY TRANSVERSELY OF THE SIDEBOARDS AND TERMINAL PORTIONS OF INVERTED L-SHAPE EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF THE SIDEBOARDS AND HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT AND HAVING EXTREMITIES SPACED APART AT A GREATER DISTANCE THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID INNER WALLS OF GREATEST LENGTH AND SUPPORTED ON TOP OF THE END WALLS OF SHORTER LENGTH, AND A COATING OF EXOTHERMIC MATERIAL 